Biography
Aynsley Thomas Dunbar is an English drummer. He has worked with some of the top names in rock, including Nils Lofgren, Eric Burdon, John Mayall, Frank Zappa, Ian Hunter, Lou Reed, Jefferson Starship, Jeff Beck, David Bowie, Whitesnake, Sammy Hagar, Michael Schenker, UFO, Flo & Eddie and Journey. Dunbar will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Journey in 2017. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aynsley_Dunbar
Album & Cover
The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation’s second album was much the same as their first, offering competent late-’60s British blues, given a slightly darker cast than was usual for the style via Victor Brox’s somber vocals. Like their debut, it was dominated by original material, and as on its predecessor, the compositions were rather routine blues-rock numbers, though they benefited from arrangements by highly skilled players. The best of these tracks were the ones that utilized Brox’s gloomy, almost Gothic organ, if only because it made them stand out more among the company of the many similar bands recording in the prime of the British blues boom. Otherwise the main fare was straightforward blues-rock that was well played, but rather average and forgettable, the most distinguished ingredient being Dunbar’s hard-hitting, swinging drums. If only because it has some original songs that were better than anything on the first album (“Fugitive,” “Till Your Lovin’ Makes Me Blue,” and “Tuesday’s Blues,” the last of which has some songwriting and guitar work quite similar to Peter Green’s late-’60s style in those departments), it’s a slightly better listen, though not up to the standards of somewhat similar groups like Fleetwood Mac and John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers. Review by Richie Unterberger
Cover Location:
Who Did What: Photography – A. Powell
Label: Blue Thumb BTS6(US), Liberty LBS83177E(UK)
Source: Vinyl. Album. Cover. Art, The Complete Hipgnosis Catalogue: Aubrey Powell
Tracklist
| Side One The Fugitive Till’ Your Lovin’ Makes Me Blue Now That I’ve Lost You I Tried Change Your Low Down Ways |
Side Two Call My Woman The Devil Drives Low Gear Man Tuesday’s Blues Mean Old World |
Credits
Alex Dmochowski – Bass Guitar
Aynsley Dunbar – Drums
Victor Brox – Guitar [12 String], Organ, Cornet, Vocals
John Moorshead – Lead Guitar, Vocals
Ian Samwell – Producer
Philip Wade – Engineer
